Superchargers in the form of air pumps or blowers are well known for the intake system of an internal combustion engine. Their purpose is to increase the air charge weight and thus the power output from a given engine size.
Superchargers for engines which are used in stationary, automotive, aircraft and marine applications are generally designed as a positive displacement blower of the piston or Roots type. These positive displacement blowers are normally driven from the engine crankshaft. Because the volume delivery of these types of blowers varies linearly with the engine speed, the cylinder pressure and shaft torque are reasonably constant throughout the speed range. Typically, a gain in air charge and horsepower in the area of one-third or higher may be realized over a naturally aspirated engine of the same size. This horsepower increase is dependent on the boost pressure for the engine equipped with the blower.
On diesel or compression ignition applications, the increased air content produced by the supercharger allows the engine to burn more fuel and produce greater horsepower without creating excessive pressures inside the cylinder. In the case of the diesel engine, supercharging makes ignition of the fuel easier due to the compression of the intake air by the supercharger which raises the air charge temperature.
Four cycle and some two cycle engines often require some form of blower or air charger similar to the superchargers mentioned above to assist in charging the cylinder during the intake phase. If the air pressure in the cylinder at the beginning of the compression stroke is substantially above atmospheric pressure, the engine is then said to be supercharged.
The present invention provides the art with an apparatus for supercharging an internal combustion engine. The apparatus has at least one individual inlet reed or check valve and at least one individual outlet reed or check valve for each cylinder in the internal combustion engine. The crankcase of the engine is maintained air tight and if the engine is multi-cylindered, the crankcase must be provided with some form of air tight separation between each cylinder inside the crankcase. When the engine is rotating, each up-stroke of each piston causes an air charge to enter the crankcase section for that cylinder through its associated inlet reed. Each down-stroke of the piston causes compression of the charge in the associated section of the crankshaft and delivery of this pressurized charge through the associated outlet reed. The outlet reed is in communication with the carburetor or intake system of the engine to provide this supercharged charge to the internal combustion engine thus supercharging the engine.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the subsequent detailed description, appended claims and drawings.